SYOC: The Official Household Guide to Zombie Hunting
by natuya
Summary: Meet Piper and her team of fellow 'Zombie Hunters', a group of minors intent on surviving the endless hoards of Them. Follow them down dusty Arizona roads as they fight, not only to survive, but to LIVE in this apocalyptic world! Submit your own characters to join these bloody, zombiefied misadventures by Dec. 15! Rated T for violence and language.
1. SYOC! List

**PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CHARACTER(S) BY SATURDAY, DEC. 15.**

**UPDATE I: There are 8 slots total. 7/8 slots have been filled. I may reopen character submissions at various points throughout the story.**

**UPDATE II: It amuses me that the majority of the characters that have been submitted this far are 16 years old. For the purposes of this story I'm assuming that they are sophomores in high school unless their creators tell me otherwise. I'm also assuming that the majority of these characters have the ability to compartmentalize. If your character is emotional vulnerable in relation to zombie killing, you'll want to note that.**

**UPDATE III: I have over eight submissions, but I am still accepting more. I'm hoping for an über-interesting character for the eighth slot, and I'm still on the fence about some of the submissions I've received! In addition, I will be drawing a portrait of every character that is accepted in order. These will be posted on my tumblr ( .com), the link to which is on my profile. I've already completed Piper's portrait. Next up is RJ!**

Hello! Natuya here. It's nice to meet you all! I'll be writing a story about a group of characters in the HOTD universe fighting zombies all the way in Arizona! At least, that's where the story'll be starting. I might decide to get creative and have our characters travel all over the USA, but who knows! Anyway, if you'd like to submit your own character for me to use, just copy and paste the SYOC Form and add your character's information, then proceed to submit it to me as a review for this 'chapter'! There are a few things I'd like you to remember when submitting your own character, though.

**a.) **Please do not submit Sues to this! (If you don't know what a Mary Sue is, feel free to Google it.) If you don't know if your character is a Sue, do some research. Don't think your character is a Sue? Submit submit submit! Think they're leaning towards the Sue side? You can always revise your character! Feel free to ask me anything through a review or PM. I'm always available to help! There are also Mary Sue Litmus Tests to try, though these are not always accurate.

**b.) **Please, please, PLEASE check your spelling and grammar when submitting! I'm kind of obsessive when it comes to spelling and grammar (spelling/grammar errors bug me so, SO much). If your submission has too many errors, I will not accept it even if your character is brilliant.

**c.) **I'd appreciate it if the characters you submit have not been used in any other stories. I don't want your poor character to have conflicting fates in different stories! D:

**d.) **YOUR CHARACTER MAY BE KILLED OFF IN THIS STORY! If you are comfortable with this, please include it in your submission notes. Don't want your character dying/becoming a zombie and being killed? Please TELL ME! This will not decrease the chances of your character being included. (On another note, if you really, REALLY want to see your character die in a specific manner, include that in your submission!)

Feel free to base your character off of yourself. My own character, Piper, shares much of her personality and appearance with myself. Some of it, however, is very different. But it's easier to write what you know, so that's exactly how I'm rolling! Have fun with your characters (there's no limit on how many you can submit)! Happy submitting!

•••

**SYOC FORM:**

**First Name "Nickname (if applicable)" Last Name:**

**Age:**

**Gender:**

**Personality in a Nutshell:**

**Nationality:**

**Family:**

**Hair:**

**Eyes:**

**Height (Please include units.):**

**Clothing (Include what your character is wearing in the beginning and what they change into and proceed to wear for the majority of this story.):**

**Scars/Tattoos/Piercing:**

**Weapons (Please include a main and a secondary weapon.):**

**Strengths (Include both physical and mental.):**

**Weaknesses (Include both physical and mental.):**

**Fears (Please include fears that were present pre-apocalypse.):**

**Likes:**

**Dislikes:**

**Sexuality:**

**Qualities that this character is attracted to:**

***Please include any other notes that you have here.:**

•••

**First Name "Nickname" Last Name:** Piper "Bri*" Bridie

**Age:** 15 at the beginning of this story. (She's a freshman.)

**Gender:** Female

**Personality in a Nutshell:** Loyal. Blunt. Does not avoid confrontation if she has an opinion. Tends to be rather opinionated on topics that interest her. Well mannered toward strangers, though she is rather shy around them and tends to appear slightly socially inept when first meeting someone. She is practical, though not overly literal, and she has a fairly good sense of humour. Not overly concerned with her appearance, though she's a stickler for good hygiene.

**Nationality: **I think American counts.

**Family:** Piper is an only child, but she's still got her mother, Caroline, and her father, Gideon. She loves them both very much but won't be reconnecting with them for quite a while.

**Hair:** Chestnut brown. Wavy. Reaches the bottom of her rib cage. Straight bangs that reach just below her eyebrows. Piper prefers to braid or ponytail her hair.

**Eyes:** Dark brown eyes. Very pretty, but often obscured by her bangs, as they will grow longer throughout the story until she sees fit to give herself a [raggedy] haircut.

**Other notes on appearance: **Piper has a slight dip at the top of the bridge of her nose that is not noticeable when facing her straight on, but is quite obvious when her face is viewed in profile. She has a few freckles, most of which are on her face and arms. She is thin, pale, and not particularly toned.

**Height (Please include units.):** 5'7"

**Clothing (Include what your character is wearing in the beginning and what they change into and proceed to wear for the majority of this story.):** At the beginning of this story, Piper is wearing black leather combat boots over ripped dark wash skinny jeans, a powder blue t-shirt top with sea creatures on it, and a black knit pullover sweater. She will change into various outfits similar to this one whenever possible over the course of the story, keeping her combat boots, of course. She also has an ear cuff with little swirls, which she is wearing from the beginning of the story and does not lose.

**Scars/Tattoos/Piercing:** Piper's earlobes are pierced, though she rarely bothers to wear earrings. She's also got a couple of small scars on both of her knees from track and tree climbing as a kid. Oh, and another small scar on her right elbow from being pushed into a locker.

**Weapons (Please include a main and a secondary weapon.):** A couple of heavy-duty hammers serve as Piper's main weapon, though she's quick to make use of any hefty objects available. (These are her 'secondary weapons', miscellaneous objects such as tire irons and unopened cans of food.)

**Strengths (Include both physical and mental.):** Piper is quite adept at utilizing miscellaneous objects for combat purposes. She's very blunt with people that she feels comfortable around (i.e., people that she has known and respected for an extended period of time), which, while occasionally being taken as offensive, allows her to communicate rather effectively. Other than that, she can type extremely fast and is knowledgeable about a wide variety of topics. Piper is secure about her physical appearance and skills, and this confidence allows her to perform tasks within her area(s) of expertise efficiently.

**Weaknesses (Include both physical and mental.):** Physically, Piper is very weak. She was on the track team in middle school, but quit that for extra free time when she began high school. Therefore, she is lacking in both brawn and stamina, though she remains a fast runner. (Due to her lack of stamina, she can run quickly in short bursts. However, these are punctuated by fish-out-of-wateresque gasping breaks.) She knows very little about first aid and cooking. Piper is also extremely uncomfortable around people she has only just met, which causes her to end up seeming rather awkward and socially inept. (This is the main trait that she is insecure about.) She tends to over think her interactions with others and will play scenarios over and over again if she feels that she misspoke.

**Fears (Please include fears that were present pre-apocalypse.):** Afraid of failing to accomplish her numerous goals before she is no longer able to (whether this be caused by a disease, disability, or death). Piper is afraid of being misunderstood/misspeaking, and this fear is carried with her through every conversation she has. When the apocalypse struck, Piper found herself fearing becoming one of _Them_. She wants to survive the apocalypse or die as a human in battle. Piper is also afraid of being alone (i.e., all of the people she knows being zombiefied, unable to be contacted, killed, etc.).

**Likes:** Alternative rock is Piper's favourite. She also adores various sweets, pasta, and taking hot showers. The ocean. Reading. Butterflies. Birds. Throwing canned food at zombies.

**Dislikes:** Piper hates ants, crickets, and cockroaches. The smell of sweat. Dirty clothes. Cleaning her bedroom. Cooking. Paper cuts.

**Sexuality:** It's still up in the air, as she has not been sexually active before the start of this story. Despite the lack of certainty, Piper identifies as Pansexual.

**Qualities that this character is attracted to:** The ability to collaborate with Piper. A person that could be trusted to watch her back. Someone interesting to talk to, who is physically fit and is aesthetically pleasing. Someone she could establish a solid relationship and emotional bond with.

***Please include any other notes that you have here.: **I have listed 'Bri' as Piper's nickname because certain people may call her that throughout this story. Anyone who questions Piper's first name or remarks that it is odd will be instructed by the girl to call her 'Bri' (a derivative of her last name, Bridie) "if Piper's too freaky for you." Piper has a tendency to swear like a sailor, and she is by no means clumsy, nor is she exceptionally graceful. I would like to establish that right now.

_Created by natuya_

•••

**First Name "Nickname (if applicable)" Last Name:** Richard "RJ" Jameson

**Age:** 16

**Gender:** Male

**Personality in a Nutshell:** The always friend-zoned guy/The big brother. He's the person you go to talk to about a bad break up or some shit in your life, over a cup of hot chocolate(He hates coffee). He'll listen quietly and message you the next day to make sure you're alright. He can make up a conversation on anything. Kind, thoughtful, protective. Loves making new friends.

**Nationality:** American, but he was born in the Philippines

**Family:** His aunt Delilah Jameson, who is his legal guardian. They get separated and don't meet up for a while(roughly the same time as Pipers) His parents (Tony and Britney) were killed in a plane crash when he was 7

**Hair:** Raven black, Layered to the right, with yellow highlights.

**Eyes:** Steel grey

**Height (Please include units.):** 6'3"

**Appearance:** He's tanned. He has a MMA fighters build, which is lean and hard.

**Clothing:** He was wearing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a white t-shirt, and a striped black-and-white hoodie. He changes into a new pair of jeans of the same color, and trades in his white T-shirt for a black Polo. His hoodie gets switched for a pure black one too.

**Scars/Tattoos/Piercing:** has a "KO" tattooed on his left arm,just above the elbow. clearly visible if your in front of him, and a scar on his chin.

**Weapons (Please include a main and a secondary weapon.):** Black Beretta handgun he stole from a security guard who died, and a baseball bat. He can also fight hand to hand if both weapons become useless.

**Strengths (Include both physical and mental.):** He was a MMA practitioner so he can handle himself in CQC. He thrives under pressure. And he's good at making plans up on the spot. He can take a hell of a beating. Dunno if this is a strength, but he's good at keeping secrets. He's a good cook, since his aunt forced him to learn how to end for himself. Strong physically. Lots of stamina,works well with others, especially Piper.

**Weaknesses (Include both physical and mental.):** He's really trusting, so an asshole can easily use him. He can't bring himself to kill humans, so a bad guy can get the jump on him if he/she acts like he gives up. He can't shoot for shit unless the target is less than 2 meters from him. He's also slow.

**Fears (Please include fears that were present pre-apocalypse.):** He has a fear of heights, and he's afraid of being let alone in a dark room. He doesn't mind if its dark so long as at least 1 person is with him. He's afraid of seeing people close to him die. He often has nightmares consisting of him seeing his friends either die,get bitten, or getting raped and then die, while he stands their useless.

**Likes:** Cooking,practicing his boxing drills, playing guitar, Rap, Rock, Pop, eating, helping others, chatting aimlessly.

**Dislikes:** Obnoxious cowards, people who look down on others, people who use others, burnt food, silence

**Sexuality:** Male, straight. He's not a virgin.

**Qualities that this character is attracted to:** Kindness, bluntness, a listener, someone who likes cleanliness.

***Please include any other notes that you have here.:**

If he dies, then he has to die after being shot by his he was bitten saving her.

_Created by editguy34_

•••

**First Name "Nickname (if applicable)" Last Name:** John "Johnny" Flynn

**Age:** 16

**Gender:** Male

**Personality in a Nutshell:** He's a bit rough around the edges, he's impulsive and impatient, he doesnt think things through often and is far more liekly just to react to a situation, his tact is limited and while he doesnt mean too he can still stick his foot in his mouth at times. He's a tad agresive and snarky to strangers and tends to get antagonistic with people he doesnt get along with but under that he's extremely loyal and a good friend who may not be the most stable one but will always have your back in a pinch. He's suprisingly more kind and patient with younger kids and fellow "screw ups", his upbringing has left him with a bit of a "big brother" complex to them though hie tries to hide it with sarcasm and annoyance. He's quick to resort to force if he feels cornered or threatend and has never been one to talk things out, though admidetly he has never been one to hold grudges either. His sense of humor consists mostly of wit and sarcasm and while he can sometimes be an ass about it, it's main purpose is to hide his own insecurities and miss-feelings, he doesnt like to appear weak so he uses snark to hide it. He's suprisingly charming when he needs to be and can be a bit of a flirt but knows when not to push it. Lastly, he's not exactly book smart but is far more resourcefull and observant then he is given credit for, even if his vocabulary is lacking.

**Nationality:** Irish/American

**Family:** His birth mom died when he was just a baby and his dad was a junkie who he hasnt seen since he was 6 and was taken into foster care. He's bounced around to alot of diferent family's since then and hasnt really kept in touch with any of them exept his foster brother Michael (13) who he looked after in a bad home about a year ago, they still talk on occaision even if they now live in diferent states. His current foster parents are Eliza and Daniel Greene, their good christian people but he isnt really close to them, he's always suspected they were more interested in doing the "christian thing" then actually getting to know him.

**Hair:** redish brown, buzzed short.

**Eyes:** hazel

**Height (Please include units.):** 6'1"

**Build:** Athletic/muscular from sports, he's built like a sprinter, lean but strong. He also has broad and strong shoulders from archery.

**Clothing (Include what your character is wearing in the beginning and what they change into and proceed to wear for the majority of this story.):** he tends to wear runners, blue jeans, tank top and a baseball cap. He doesnt change much about it besides adding a forearm guard to his arm so he doesnt get burned by the bow string and switching his runners for combat boots. He wants to keep light and agile.

**Scars/Tattoos/Piercing:** He has a tatoo of a a wolf on his right shoulder wich is mainly their to cover a nasty burn mark from when a foster father decided to use him as an ash tray.

**Weapons (Please include a main and a secondary weapon.):** He uses his compound bow (he's on the archery team at school), he's verry good with it and unlike firearms he can re-use alot of his arrows after firing, plus arrows are alot less likely to of been looted from sports and gun shops. His secondary weapon is a lead pipe he keeps on his belt.

**Strengths (Include both physical and mental.):** He's quite athletic from sports and is in great shape and is quite agile for a guy his size, he's a great shot with a bow, he's verry observant and resourcefull and is a good judge of character, he can pick a lock thanks to a verry informitive foster sibling.

**Weaknesses (Include both physical and mental.):** his size makes it hard from him to hide and squeeze into tight escape routes, he doesnt know how to swim, he is pretty book dumb, impatient and impulsive and while his resourcefull ness may lead him to coming up with half decent plans his impatience usually ruins it by jumping the gun. Tends to say the wrong things at the wrong time and his personality tends to put some people off.

**Fears (Please include fears that were present pre-apocalypse.):** He doesnt want people to see how messed up living in foster care has made him and he usses his snark and agresive attitude to shield him. He's terrified of drowning thanks to not knowing how to swim and he really hates cats thanks to a really nasty one he met when he was 8. He's also afraid of leeting someone in just for him to loose them, this stems from his constant moving around alot as a kid and loosing any friend he had made in the last house.

**Likes:** Archery, sports, food, loyalty, good friends, cheerleaders, goofing off, classic rock, cards, cooking (a necessary skill he had to learn when he was always hungry and didnt want to wait for others to cook for him).

**Dislikes:** golf, mimes, zombies, bullies, neglectfull parents, foster care, modern pop music, up tight people, disloyalty, crossbows, cats.

**Sexuality:** Straight

**Qualities that this character is attracted to:** He is atracted to mentally strong girls who arent afraid of breaking a nail and not afraid to stand their ground, someone who will tolerate his humor and not pry into his background untill he's ready to talk about it and being smart is a bonus, he likes having someone who's not him do the thinking and planning. Physically he's not picky aslong as their in good shape , he has a preference for blondes but this is not a deal breaker for him.

***Please include any other notes that you have here.:** In school he's on the football team and when that is over he's on the basketball team, he's also on the archery team. He picked up archery when he was 12 after being encouraged to do so by his at that time gym teacher, ever since he seeks out the nearest archery team or club when he moves into a new town.

_Created by Munamana_

•••

**First Name "Nickname (if applicable)" Last Name:** Astrid "Acid" Adams

**Age:** 19

**Gender:** Female

**Personality in a Nutshell:** Ice-Princess; she acts extremely cold to everyone as a method of protecting herself, but will do anything to protect the people she cares about

**Nationality:** American

**Family:** Her father was a surgeon and her mother was a nurse, so they both made sure she knew a lot about how to fix people up after being wounded. She's an only child.

**Hair:** White-blonde hair that (when down) usually reaches to the small of her back. She usually wears it up in a crown braid around her head in order to get it out of her way.

**Eyes:** Dark blue, almost black. Very cold

**Height (Please include units.):** 6ft 2in

**Clothing (Include what your character is wearing in the beginning and what they change into and proceed to wear for the majority of this story.):** In the beginning, she's wearing a pair of skinny jeans paired with dark brown boots and a white short-sleeved polo, with her hair in a ponytail. For the majority of the story, she wears a pair of jeans that she's sewn an extra patch into them to allow more freedom of movement, with a tanktop underneath a fencing jacket. She's gotten her hands on thick workman gloves and thick combat boots. She often wears a fencing mask when she goes around outside, and carries around a golf bag full of various weapons, including golf clubs, fencing sabres, baseball bats, etc. She is not able to fight with it on, though, so usually ends up placing it down someplace high up but where she can still get to it while fighting. She also wears kneepads over her jeans and elbowpads underneath the jacket.

**Scars/Tattoos/Piercing:** She has a long scar reaching down the side of her face from her left temple to her chin from a car accident she had been in while she was younger that never really healed right.

**Weapons (Please include a main and a secondary weapon.):** Golf clubs and baseball bats are her main weapons. The sabres are the secondary one, and she really only uses it against regular people; only would use it against "Them" if she ran out of everything else.

**Strengths (Include both physical and mental.):** She is very quick on her feet, though not very strong. Her main ability comes with her intelligence. In her home town, she was considered to be something of a genius. She excels at strategy and figuring her way out of tough situations.

**Weaknesses (Include both physical and mental.):** She is not very strong; if it comes to a battle of strength, she will almost definitely lose. If she ends up caring for someone, and something bad happens to them, it will affect her negatively and possibly make her lose her concentration until she's forced to get over it. She usually only looks at the logical side, often being willing to sacrifice the one for the sake of the many, no matter which one and how people would react to it. She's often seen as heartless, and sometimes demands too much of others. She's also not very good at talking to people, though everything she says makes sense.

**Fears (Please include fears that were present pre-apocalypse.):** She's afraid of chaos and of logic becoming meaningless. She's also afraid of being physically intimate with someone. Acid is also afraid of making the wrong decision and dooming everyone.

**Likes:** She secretly has a huge sweet tooth, something that she tries to hide by drinking strong coffee; singing (not that she has much time to sing anything)

**Dislikes:** Coffee; Vomit; Recreational Drugs

Sexuality: Hetero (attracted to guys)

Qualities that this character is attracted to: Strength, decisiveness, a good sense of humor (especially considering the fact that she doesn't have much of one herself); to be honest, she hasn't thought about it that much since she's always been the social outcast, not exactly the person most guys were interested in dating.

***Please include any other notes that you have here.:** She got the nickname she has from her acidic personality at school. At first she hated it, especially when people compared it to the drug, but it eventually grew on her to the point that she introduces herself to people by that name. She was bullied a lot as a little child, which is how she first developed her ice-princess personality. She found her solace in golf and fencing, and has developed quite a mean swing. She's also left hand, and she enjoys chuckling at her "sinister hand" at times.

_Created by MaliceArchangela_

•••

**First Name "Nickname (if applicable)" Last Name:** Tamara "Tammy" Sparrow

**Age:** 16

**Gender:** Female

**Personality in a Nutshell:** One of the boys, Tamara is never afraid to get down and dirty. She has a witty sense of humor and a dirty mind to top it all off. Almost all of her friends consist of boys and they see her as one of the boys too. She hates stereotypical 'girly' activities and enjoys skateboarding and kickboxing. She is very easy to get along with, though she isn't afraid of biting back if people get on her nerves. Tamara uses humor at the beginning of the apocalypse to settle everyone's nerves though she is just as scared as everyone else. She can be very competitive and a tad cocky. She only moved to america two years ago and instantly fit in to the crowds. She is fairly well known for causing trouble around school but has a heart of gold.

**Nationality:** Scottish

**Family:** Susanna, mother, alive. Daniel, younger brother, alive. Her family life is slowly being repaired after her father leaving them three years previous. It s a very loving environment and she has a great deal of respect for them, especially her mother.

**Hair:** Dark auburn hair in light waves that come just past her shoulders

**Eyes:** Amber

**Height (Please include units.):** 5'8"

**Clothing:** She wears a grey beanie, white t-shirt with a black waistcoat over it, usually unbuttoned. She also has red tartan, skinny jeans with black high-tops. She eventually changes into black denim shorts, brown biker boots, and covers her white t-shirt with a blue flannel shirt with the top buttons undone and sleeves rolled up. She always carries a black backpack with her skateboard in it.

**Scars/Tattoos/Piercing:** Two silver studs in her right ear and a star earring in her left. She has a few scratches on her legs and elbows from skateboarding falls.

**Weapons:** Her main weapon is a machete and she uses a crowbar for back-up

**Strengths (Include both physical and mental.):** Quick on her feet and good at hand-to-hand combat, due to her background in kickboxing. Very easy to get along with and keeps the group in good spirits. Skateboarding, which she uses as a form of quick transport. She is very headstrong and able to think positively about the future.

**Weaknesses (Include both physical and mental.):** Hasn't got the best aim. She can't attack when she is on her skateboard. Her confidence often gets her into trouble as she overestimates her abilities. Her headstrong ways often means she hides her true emotions and won't open up to people, continuing to use her humor as a lie.

**Fears:** Dogs, cats, and a fear of rejection, being put in a dress

**Likes:** Skateboarding, anything sweet, kickboxing, jokes, dirty humor, making friends, competitions, punk/rock music

**Dislikes:** Anything 'girly', pets, loosing, rejection

**Sexuality:** Heterosexual

**Qualities that this character is attracted to:** A good sense of humor, someone who treats her as an equal, a boy who is rough, cheeky or naughty

***Please include any other notes that you have here.:** She speaks with a light Scottish accent

_Created by .x_

•••

**First Name "Nickname (if applicable)" Last Name:** Daniel "Doc" Lambert

**Age:** 23

**Gender:** Male

**Personality in a Nutshell:** Daniel's personality is that of a proud big brother that watches out for his family at all times. He is loving and fun to be around when business is not involved, but when something serious comes up he becomes calculating and reliable, being the one people can turn to for a strategy or solution. When he was younger, he excelled in his school work and received top grades in almost everything, save for his second language classes (mainly French and Indonesian) and his P.E. classes. This earned him the title of "child genius" from his teachers and parents. Although he has grown out of his "child genius" title, he still seems smarter than your average medical student. Daniel is an all-around easy-going guy until the worst-case-scenario actually DOES happen.

**Nationality:** British

**Family:** Daria Lambert, mother, "them"; Fredrick Lambert, father, deceased; Aria Lambert, sister, 17, alive; Holly Lambert, sister, 10, alive.

**Hair:** Very dark blonde, slightly long enough to tie back

**Eyes:** Pale blue, often described as "icy" or "opaque"

**Height (Please include units.):** 6'1"

**Clothing (Include what your character is wearing in the beginning and what they change into and proceed to wear for the majority of this story.):** At the beginning he's wearing a white lab coat with a grey button-down shirt underneath and black trousers, as well as a pair of brown loafers. Later dumps the jacket and starts rolling up the sleeves of his shirt to mid-forearm.

**Scars/Tattoos/Piercing:** Small scar on his left palm (cut himself with scissors at age five)

**Weapons (Please include a main and a secondary weapon.):** Main weapon is a Smith and Wesson, secondary is a crowbar

**Strengths (Include both physical and mental.):** Great medical knowledge, knows how to handle a stressful situation, can keep his cool during tough times, good at spotting hiding places

**Weaknesses (Include both physical and mental.):** Not a very fast runner, keeps to himself too much, can't let go of the past, has a tendency to be pessimistic

**Fears (Please include fears that were present pre-apocalypse.):** Rabbits. He despises rabbits. Why? They stare into his soul...

**Likes:** Books, learning new things, quiet spaces, relaxing, sweet food

**Dislikes:** Bitter and spicy food, rabbits, loud noises, Easter (I think we know why...)

**Sexuality:** Straight

**Qualities that this character is attracted to:** Smart, pretty girls. Daniel seems to think that he aims a little high with that kind of preference, so he would most likely settle for someone kinder in the group.

***Please include any other notes that you have here.:** Like Aria, he absolutely CANNOT stomach curry

_Created by MikiMoke_

•••

**First Name "Nickname (if applicable)" Last Name:** Holly "Snips" Lambert

**Age:** 11

**Gender:** Female

**Personality in a Nutshell:** Holly is very, erm...SASSY would be the right word. She talks back a lot when it comes to things she doesn't want to do and she constantly makes snarky remarks at those older than her, trying to prove that even small things have a nasty bite. She doesn't do this to upset anyone; no, she just does it because she can, and because she wants to feel part of the group. She likes to act like she a stuck-up snob, like most people would assume the people in her hometown are, and enjoys seeing surprise on people's faces when she does something earnestly selfless. Holly holds her brother and sister in high regard, treating them like her mentors and best friends, which leaves them the only ones to escape her sassy wrath. However, Holly is still a child and does have her moments of being, well, childish. She has been known to pout a lot when she wants something and apparently hasn't chucked a tantrum since age eight – an apparent record for Lambert children!

**Nationality:** British

**Family:** Daria Lambert, mother, "them"; Fredrick Lambert, father, deceased; Aria Lambert, sister, 17, alive; Daniel Lambert, brother, 23, alive.

**Hair:** Dark blonde, like Daniel's, and slightly curled. Reaches her shoulders when left alone and often has it tied back in low pigtails.

**Eyes:** Lilac

**Height (Please include units.):** 4'4"

**Clothing (Include what your character is wearing in the beginning and what they change into and proceed to wear for the majority of this story.):** Light blue graphic tee (picture is of a water lily), pair of skinny jeans, black skirt, dark roman sandals. Later moves on to a pair of baggy pants and sneakers, and wears a leather jacket over her shirt. May also don a pair of fingerless gloves

**Scars/Tattoos/Piercing:** Ears are pierced and have small studs in them

**Weapons (Please include a main and a secondary weapon.):** Baseball bat. Just the baseball bat.

**Strengths (Include both physical and mental.):** Very athletic, good with directions, has a decent memory, can defend herself against one of "them"

**Weaknesses (Include both physical and mental.):** She will snap if she sees a clown, she scares easily, can't climb very well, her peripheral vision isn't something to rely on

**Fears (Please include fears that were present pre-apocalypse.):** She has an inexplicably insane fear of clowns. She doesn't know why she has the fear, but she's been told that when she was four a clown came up to her at a carnival and followed her around for the entire day, freaking her out with all of its acts. Nowadays, when she sees a clown, she will get scared to the point that, if the clown won't leave, she'll grab a nearby weapon and MAKE it leave.

**Likes:** Fast food, chicken, playing games on computers, playing cricket, being active

**Dislikes:** CLOWNS! Pork, the Looney Tunes, dark rooms, guns

**Sexuality:** Straight

**Qualities that this character is attracted to:** She likes, and I quote, "good looking guys that aren't idiots."

***Please include any other notes that you have here.:** She is the only Lambert out of her siblings who can eat curry and spicy food.

_Created by MikiMoke_

•••

**First Name "Nickname (if applicable)" Last Name:** Arai Hinokami

**Age:** 17

**Gender:** Male

**Personality in a Nutshell:** Very laid-back and flirtatious, but is deceptively intelligent and has some degree of wisdom that many wouldn't expect of him but is incredibly lazy as well. He has a good sense of humor and is quite mischievous. He has the capacity to be determined and serious when the situation calls for it, rarely happening at all otherwise. He can also be a bit stubborn and brash, which lands him into trouble often. Has had a bad history of relationships and has been cheated on numerous times, often retaliating by cheating as well, and this has caused him to be somewhat distrusting towards girls regarding relationships but does try his best to be loyal and supportive when in a relationship.

**Nationality:** American, but was born in Tokyo, Japan

**Family:** Sasaki Hinokami (Father/Age 40)- He doesn't really care for his father, considering that they often clashed wills and disagreed with each other quite often. Sayane Hinokami (Mother/Age 38)- He loves his mother to death and does whatever he can to keep her happy and despises those who would upset her. Saya Hinokami (Little Sister/Age 12)- His sister clings to him like glue, much to his annoyance, but he loves her nonetheless and does his best to keep her happy.

**Hair:** Black hair that is spiky at the top and sides, the spikes seemingly leaning towards the right, with jagged fringes swept to the right and the back being tied in a long, low ponytail that falls to his mid back

**Eyes:** Dark Blue

**Height (Please include units.):** 6'4"

**Build:** Is slender but muscular with well-toned muscles

**Clothing:** Before the apocalypse, he wears a white shirt with a red trim under a long, white coat with red trims and golden buttons, white pants, a belt strapped around his waist on the outside of his coat with a belt buckle with "Fight" etched into it, and red shoes. After the outbreak, he wears a tight, black undershirt with the top half covered by a red, sleeveless jacket with a black trim and white jeans. He also wears black, fingerless gloves with red metal plated backs with two small straps on each, two belts strapped around his left thigh, a lone belt strapped on right forearm, a silver belt buckle with the word "FIGHT" etched into it, a drape of red cloth hanging beneath his belt, and red shoes.

**Scars/Tattoos/Piercing:** N/A

**Weapons:** His main weapon type Axe but makes use of anything that is heavy and either Sharp or blunt. His secondary weapon is a Raging Bull Model .454 Casull Revolver that he stole from his father

**Strengths:** He is very capable in devising plans, especially escape plans, for various scenarios which he believes will come in handy. He always seems to think ahead and is very perceptive of his surrounding and is able to use them to his advantage. He is protective of his friends and is overall friendly towards everyone and has no problem communicating. Physically, he is in very good shape and has great stamina and endurance

**Weaknesses:** Physically, you could say he is of average speed and may not be able to keep up with some of the faster individuals but his stamina and endurance easily make up for this. He has little knowledge in the medical field and is a horrible cook. To those he just meets, he is very wary of them though keeps up his friendly attitude to cover this fact but may make is skepticism known at times. Also, his lazy disposition may make him appear as if he is a hindrance to others. His stubbornness and brashness are also other bad traits that will prove troublesome

**Fears:** He has a fear of snakes, which is due to a unpleasant childhood experience, and not being able to keep those he cares about safe

**Likes:** Fighting, Sleeping, Puzzles (Occasionally), Cloud-watching, Star-gazing

**Dislikes:** Snobs, Legitimate stupidity, People who see right through him, Work, Effort, Boring things

**Sexuality:** Heterosexual, is by no means a virgin

**Qualities that this character is attracted to:** He likes girls with a good head on their shoulders, is confident and physically fit. Someone who is high spirited, interesting, and loyal to their friends and loved ones. A girl he can actually trust not to be fooling around behind his back.

***Please include any other notes that you have here.:** He has absolutely no desire to die during this hell on earth, seeing as there are too many people he needs to protect. If he does die, he would rather take his own life than be turned.

_Created by BladeOfTheEclipse_

•••

More characters will be added as submissions are received!

xx natuya.


	2. Act 1: In Case of a Zombie Apocalypse

Hey, again! Natuya here. Several character submissions are in, but there's still time to submit your own! However, I've seen fit to write the first chapter. I just want everyone to know that this story will likely be between 25-50 chapters. It all depends on how much zombie-killing action you want! I also want to focus a lot on the relationships and development of the characters. If you submitted a character, please tell me if I write them incorrectly, and I'll do my best to correct any mistakes I make! Also, do you have any suggestions for chapter titles? I'll do my best to make them creative and relevent, but some of them may end up as 'Act #'. In addition to this, each chapter will have a short playlist (usually only two or three songs). This bad boy is tops 3,000 words, so I'd better quite my rambling. And now I present to you…

•••

**_The Official Household Guide to Zombie Hunting_**

**Act 1: In Case of a Zombie Apocalypse, Remember the Basics!**

•••

**Chapter Playlist:**

"City" by Hollywood Undead

"Aim for the Head" by Creature Feature

•••

**a.) In the event of a sudden Zombie Apocalypse, keep your wits about you. Find a safe place to stay while you locate a WEAPON. This WEAPON must be capable of DESTROYING THE HEAD OF A ZOMBIE.**

•••

Crashing, burning, chaos. Everything was filled with incomprehensible pandemonium. Piper Bridie had no intention of being sucked into _that_. When the announcement had been broadcasted throughout the school—"There has been an incident at the school gates. Please remain in your classrooms until further information can—mmmph—AHHHHHH—HELPHELPHELP—"—she'd remained at her desk in the corner of the classroom, farthest from the door. Though she'd been hating her seating assignment for ages—who could concentrate on geometry when they were trapped in the corner where they wouldn't be caught staring out the window? Her grades had definitely gone down since she'd been sitting there!—Piper was now grateful that she wasn't closer to the door. After everyone had run, screaming and tearing each others' hair, trampling weaker students, Piper had leapt up from her seat and closed the classroom door, locking it behind her. No reason to make herself vulnerable to whatever the hell the threat was. Next, she began hunting for weapons. Anything that could provide a hefty blow to the head was likely to be quite useful, so Piper began with office supplies and worked her way up to furniture.

•••

**b.) Don't have access to firearms or swords? Don't worry, ANYTHING CAN BE A WEAPON. Don't dismiss items such as paperweights, hardcover books, desk lamps, and canned food.**

•••

"Stapler… Binder… Geometry textbook… Oh, fuck yes! The canned food from the food drive thing!" Piper had been muttering to herself, but saw reason to shout at her discovery of the canned food. Canned food could be thrown at peoples' heads. She was betting on the mass of the item doing the work though, since she was somewhat lacking in upper body strength. "Maybe I shouldn't have quit track…" A loud thump at the door. Another one. And another and another. "Fuck," Piper whispered, slinking up to the door, wishing she was anywhere else. There was a single slat of safety glass embedded in the door, providing a small window to the hallway. Piper took a peek and fought the urge to scream.

Grotesque bodies moved against the door, attempting to push it open, though all of the classroom doors opened into the hall. There where only a few of them, but the sight was no less horrifying because of that. They had been human once, she could tell, but now they were a horrible greenish grey with dead, bulging eyes. Huge chunks of flesh were torn out of their bodies. Three students and one teacher, Piper guessed, but this was a huge high school. She recognized one of them, Halley, a girl she'd despised since sixth grade. Piper was torn between smirking at Halley's demise and crying because neither Halley nor the three other anonymous people had deserved such a disgusting fate. Knowing she didn't have time to spare, she opted for the smirk and a silent apology for the three anonymous people before grabbing the closest chair and dragging it over to the door, though she doubted this would actually accomplish anything. She needed to get to the woodshop room on the first floor to find more efficient weapons.

•••

**c.) MAKE SHORT TERM GOALS and PLAN HOW YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH THEM. This will keep you moving, and it will give you a purpose.**

•••

The woodshop room, Piper had decided, would be the optimal place to find weapons. She couldn't possibly carry a dozen cans of tomato soup around with her at all times, and throwing a stapler was a one-time affair unless she was carrying around a dozen of those, too. She began to plan out her route on the big whiteboard at the front of the classroom.

First, she'd get to the stairwell. Quietly, of course, lest the mutilated zombie-ghoul-things hear her and come running. The shop room was right by the stairwell, just down the hall from the nurse's office, so it'd be easy to get to. After securing that room and locating a weapon, she'd pinch some basic first aid stuff from the nurse's office and locate any survivors in the vacinity. Easy, right?

The zombies had relented in their door-pushing effort and were now milling aimlessly around the hallway. Currently, Piper could see one bumping it's head against the wall opposite from where she stood. Confident that the door was secure, Piper began going through the geometry teacher's desk, hoping she'd find something useful. She emptied her own black canvas backpack as quietly as she could (her own heart skipping a beat as pencils, pens, and her phone hit the floor with a muffled clatter) and began a quick yet thoughrough search through the other students' backpacks.

Piper's search revealed several hair ties (she slipped these on her right wrist), an assortment of feminine hygiene products (which she dropped into her backpack _just in case_), a nice stainless steel water bottle (it was full, too, so she wrapped it in a stolen sweater to stifle any clinking noises and stuck it in her backpack), miscellaneous snack foods (she added those to her kit), a premade first aid kit (what a great score! She still planned on making a visit to the nurse's office, though), several mp3 players and phones (which she stuck into her backpack after turning all but one off), and a nice laptop with its power cord (these went into her backpack as well). A bottle of hand sanitizer was stolen from the teacher's desk to complete her stash. Piper glanced down at her nails, feeling grateful for the fact that she'd cut them short just the night before and hadn't bothered to paint them. Little things like that made her happy when under pressure. Going through the teacher's desk had revealed a couple of potential weapons in addition to the hand sanitizer. A paperweight that looked good for throwing, a solid metal bookend, and a nice, and a hefty desk lamp. After cutting the cord with her teacher's scissors and removing the lightbulb of the desk lamp, Piper picked it up and swung the lamp experimentally. No dice, though, since the lamp bent at the hinge in the middle. Next, Piper tried the bookend. It wasn't the best, since it provided little distance between her and her target, but it worked. She grabbed one of the phones from her backpack, covering the speaker with her palm, and scrolled through the options until she found sample ringtones.

Picking up her backpack and being careful not to let the phone make noise, Piper dragged the chair away from the door, wincing as it scraped along the linolium floor, and sighing in relief when no zombies came running. She unlocked the door, freezing as the lock clicked open. Her wavy chestnut hair, high in a ponytail, tickled her cheek and she tightened her lips together to keep from flinching. Nervousness building in her gut, Piper selected a ringtone from the list on the phone, making sure the volume was on. She opened the door quietly, and, as quickly as she could, selected a ringtone and slid the phone down the hallway, away from the stairwell.

Just as she'd thought, the zombies began lurching toward the phone and she slinked past them, waiting as another emerged from the stairwell and walked past her, almost tripping over her foot while she held her breath. Piper was hoping that her best friend was still alive so they could meet up and fight zombies like they used to talk about over homework. However, she only had French 1 with her BFF, so she had no way of knowing where her constant companion might be. _No point in worrying about others at the moment… I've got to get to the shop room!_

Piper made it to the bottom of the stairwell without incident, but the hallway below was a rather horrifying scene. Blood spattered the walls in a mural that spoke of the pandemonium of the apocalypse. There were plenty of zombies milling about—Piper counted eight. None appeared to be obstructing her path to the shop room, so she left them alone for the time being. The salty-rust smell of blood and gore coated everything. Piper darted into the shop room when she heard shouting coming from down the hall. Unable to make out what the speaker was saying, she chose to leave them to their own devices. It was too risky to run through a hall with at least eight zombies _toward_ the source of noise.

The shop room was empty. Sawdust coated every surface, even those that would have been wiped clean at the end of every class period. Tools were strewn about alongside birdhouses and picture frames that would never be finished. Glaring Arizona sunlight was filtered through the blinds, creating a pseudo-peaceful atmosphere. Piper noticed bloodstains on the door, though, and the spell was broken.

Weapons. Piper needed weapons. She closed the classroom door as quietly as she possibly could after triple-checking for zombies and finding none. She left it unlocked, seeing no reason to secure the space if the zombies didn't hear her. Besides, she could still hear the muffled shouts and screams from down the hall. Those people were probably being eaten and turned, she realized, but couldn't bring herself to feel guilty. She didn't know who they were.

An appraisal of the available tools revealed three hammers, five saws of various kinds, one nail gun, an assortment of screwdrivers and wrenches, and a battery-powered drill. There were more tools out of sight, but Piper wanted to be quick. Besides, she doubted there was going to be anything more useful in the cabinets. She needed to choose wisely, as her backpack couldn't hold much more and she was in no mood to carry all of this stuff. Dismissing the screwdrivers and all but the largest wrench, Piper began the process of elimination. The saws were impractical. The drill would need batteries, but it would be perfect for fighting zombies, despite the noise it would inevitably make. The nail gun would be wonderful if she could aim it well, but she kind of doubted that that was a talent of hers. The smallest hammer was pink-slipped, but the other two were the large, heavy-duty kind of hammer that could smash a zombie's head in a single swing. Piper had found her weapon.

The wrench was unwieldy, but Piper loaded the drill (and some extra batteries) into her backpack, along with the nail gun (plus extra nail cartridges), despite the extra weight. If she found survivors, they'd need weapons. This was her reasoning as she opened the door of the classroom, both hammers in one hand. A glance through the window had revealed no zombies right outside, though she expected them to be just down the hall. After the door was open, Piper transferred one hammer to her second hand. Realizing that carrying both at once was impractical, she retreated into the woodshop classroom to stick one in her backpack and returned to the hall.

Piper's backpack was extremely heavy, but this did little to slow her down. The nurse's office was just down the hall, which left two zombies in her way. Piper considered trying her cell phone trick again, but she didn't want to waste the phones in case she needed them for larger, less manageable zombie hoards later. Besides, she was itching to try out her new hammer, congratulating herself for wearing a black pullover sweater. She allowed herself a smile at the thought of invisible zombie bloodstains.

•••

**d.) Do NOT consider the zombies to be human! Do NOT attempt to identify them! THEY ARE NO LONGER HUMAN. THEY WILL KILL YOU.**

•••

Piper recognized one of the zombies in her path as the woodshop teacher. _Poor woman… _She stopped herself mid-thought. The woodshop teacher was gone. That _thing_ standing in her trajectory to the nurse's office was a zombie. That _thing_ needed to die. Piper tip-toed up to the zombie, raising her hammer and swinging it down into the zombie's head. A dampened thump as the body hit the floor, creating a fresh blood puddle, did little to attract the attention of the other zombies. Only one began moving toward Piper, and she dodged, skirting around it and hurrying into the nurse's office, pulling the door shut behind her without so much as a sound.

Blood was pumping through her veins, and Piper allowed herself to indulge in the adrenaline rush for three seconds. _One… Two… Three…_ Then she heard a noise from behind the curtain. The sound of a drawer sliding shut, the curtain being pulled back. Piper readied her hammer in case she had to face another zombie, but this was not the case.

"Hey, you weren't bitten, were you?" Grey eyes met Piper's brown ones, looking both concerned and wary. Piper shook her head, running through a mental list of all the people she knew that attended this school. It was a huge high school, so her list was far from complete. But this guy had to be over six feet, and he was _cute_, too. He was probably one of the upperclassman, she reasoned. "What are you doing here, then?" This struck her as an odd question, considering the zombies in the hallway. But honesty would have to be the best policy if she wanted to survive.

"Looking for first aid stuff. It wouldn't work if I was bitten, but I assume that running around killing zombies will take its toll." Piper was muttering, but the guy seemed to understand. Grey Eyes laughed quietly, running a hand through his black and yellow hair. White teeth stood out against tanned skin. Piper decided that he was actually pretty hot, but that wasn't really her concern at the moment. "What's your name?"

"Name's Richard, but I prefer RJ. And you?"

"Piper. What does the 'J' stand for?"

"My last name, Jameson. Piper's a nice name."

"Really? Thanks. Most people think it's strange." RJ just smiled in response. Piper's adrenaline levels were decreasing, and she was beginning to feel rather awkward. RJ seemed pretty nice, though, so she forged ahead despite her discomfort. "Anyway, the zombie apocalypse happened. Do you have a weapon?"

"Sure, I filched a baseball bat from the sports storage area." Piper was amused by his word choice and decided that he was a pretty swell guy.

"Nifty. Do you have a bag with you?" RJ held up a bright yellow backpack. Piper grinned. "Wanna load some first aid shit in there? And maybe take some of the stuff I've got in here? And join forces to survive this hell hole?"

•••

**e.) Join forces with other survivors. Zombie hunting with a team will increase your chances of survival!**

•••

RJ was thrilled that he'd been found by another survivor. This meant that he wouldn't have to scour the campus for other survivors all alone—that was his plan, after all. The baseball bat he'd snitched from the sports storage area had turned out to be excellent for smashing zombie heads. Piper finding him had been an added bonus. Her backpack appeared to be packed full with only heaven-knew-what and he was feeling rather curious.

"What the hell are you keeping in there, anyway?" Whispering was getting old fast, but neither teenager felt comfortable speaking at a normal volume, what with the zombies wandering the hallway just outside of their hiding place. Piper unzipped her backpack, pointing out the various contents.

"Let's see. Water, snacks, sweater, a first aid kit, a bunch of iPods and phones, hand sanitizer, a laptop, a drill, a nail gun, and my other hammer…" She trailed off, glancing back at RJ. "What can you carry? I figured we could give the nail gun and drill to other survivors that need weapons, or we could use them if need be." RJ had to admire her thoroughness.

"I totally understand the laptop, but what's with all the phones and stuff?" It was Piper's turn to laugh, recalling her previous stunt with the cell phone. He grinned as she explained it.

"That's kind of brilliant." She shrugged, smiling. RJ decided that Piper was pretty chill. He felt that he could most definitely trust her to watch his back, and he would do his upmost to watch hers. They divied up the contents of her bag, considering that his lazer yellow backpack was mostly empty, and raided the cabinets of the nurse's office for any medications that might be useful, extra bandages, and anything else they thought was practical. Piper was grateful for RJ's ability to collaborate with her on this, and RJ was grateful to have a reliable companion to face the apocalypse. In short, they were grateful for each other. Turning to Piper as he slung his backpack over one shoulder, RJ spoke.

"Ready to go hunt some zombies?"

•••

**These are just the basics. To avoid using the dangerous 'trial and error' technique in the event of a zombie apocalypse, please continue reading.**

•••

Well, how did I do? Did I portray RJ correctly? I kind of adore him. I think, though, my biggest worry is the formatting. Let me know what you think of it! Character submissions are still open and will be until Dec. 15th! I'm just impatient with my inspiration. Reviews are much appreciated!

xx natuya.


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